Background

The Berkeley Sensor & Actuator Center (BSAC) operates as a National
Science Foundation Industry/University Cooperative Research Center (I/UCRC).
BSAC was organized as an NSF Center in 1986 to develop a science, engineering,
and technology base for microsensors, microactuators, and microelectromechanical
systems (MEMS). In 1998, BSAC expanded to a multi-campus NSF I/UCRC with
the addition of UC Davis, a major campus of the University of California
60 miles from UC Berkeley.

From the beginning, BSAC has, under its NSF I/UCRC charter, focused on
providing Industrial Member companies early pre-commercial and pre-publication
access to important research results on a highly leveraged basis. This
leverage derives from the funding model in which less than 15% of BSAC
operating funds are provided from member fees, but in which Industrial
Members have access to all research results of the Center. Industrial
Member relationships with faculty, graduates, and students create unique
opportunities for furtherance of our technology transfer goals.

BSAC includes a multi-disciplinary research team of 120 graduate students
and post-doctoral researchers led by 10 BSAC Directors from the engineering
faculties of electrical, mechanical, and bio engineering at UC Berkeley
and UC Davis. BSAC Directors oversee nearly 100 projects with cooperation,
collaboration, and guidance of 30 industrial member companies and government
laboratories and 15 additional Affiliated Faculty from UC Berkeley and
Davis. BSAC utilizes research laboratories throughout the engineering
campuses at UC Berkeley and UC Davis, including intensive use of the UC
Berkeley micro fabrication facility (MicroLab).

BSAC research exploits the multidisciplinary competencies and visions
of the internationally recognized top rank faculty at UC Berkeley and Davis.
It is hard to imagine such a team being brought together in any other
way.

Achievements

Starting with the first demonstration of silicon surface micromachining,
BSAC Researchers pioneered the development of mechanical and electrical
structures utilizing lithography and processing capabilities of the semiconductor
industry. Over the years many firsts, milestones, and benchmarks from
BSAC research have enabled and led to the expansion of the MEMS approach
into a wealth of disparate applications in each of the thrust areas above.